Vengeance: A Kindred Sons Mafia Romance

by Beth Wynne

  “Ah, there you are!” I heard a man’s voice as his shoes squeaked over from me. I didn’t miss the flash of something across Louise’s face before she composed herself again.

  “Hi Denver, I was just on my way up to get prepped for the morning meeting. This is Bella, she’s the new administrator.” Turning back to me, she smiled earnestly, “If you go to the reception, they’ll point you in the right direction. I’ll see you around the office.” Louise made her exit quickly, with her messenger bag making her look clumsy as it flopped about every time she took a right step.

  “So, you’re Mildred’s new start?” Denver spoke smoothly as he walked me to reception and in front of the visitor book. “I’m about to go up to her office anyway, if you sign in here, then I’ll show you where to go.” His smile seemed friendly, and as we made our way to the stairs I caught the scent of his cologne. Musky and rich. We chatted briefly as we made our way to Mildred’s office, my story held up and he didn’t immediately out me as a fraud, which I felt was a good omen for the rest of my day.

  Mildred was exactly as her picture from LinkedIn, and having stalked her a little on social media and having spoken with her exactly four times: in my interview; to be conditionally offered the post, and a phone call to confirm my references had been received and that she would be happy for me to start as soon as possible; and the phone call she had made late last week to tell me to come directly to her office this morning.

  “Bella, it’s great to see you again.” She looked up from her computer and judging by the mound of paper already on her desk and the three stained and empty mugs in front of her, I decided that my new boss was someone who came into work early. “I’m so glad to see you. Let me get you settled in, and then I have a mountain of work for you! But first things first, have you had the tour yet?”

  I expected to be answering phones and sending emails, but instead, I spent the first week working alongside Mildred collating files and putting together information for her. The learning curve was steep and I found the work quite intense to start with, but as I had nothing else to distract me, I enjoyed having something I could sink my teeth into. I arrived to work early and spent all my time with Mildred - apart from my lunch breaks, where I often met Louise in the office kitchen, I didn’t really speak to anyone else apart from Denver every now and then.

  Mildred was in the small meeting room, on a conference call with a client when I was clearing up in Mildred’s office on Friday afternoon. Denver popped his head into the office, “Hey Bella,” he said smoothly, his voice sounded like honey in my ears. “Have you any plans for your first Friday night after work?”

  I didn’t and by the time I was leaving the office, I’d agreed to go with him to a local bar where we’d have dinner. Louise mentioned she worked with him but didn’t go any further than that. I got the impression she didn’t really like him but wasn’t about to say why. He’d been nothing but polite to me, so I imagined that whatever their differences it was none of my business. After Louise and Mildred, he was the only other person in town that knew “Bella” so it would be nice. He was easy on the eyes, and whilst I certainly wasn’t after any sort of relationship, it was good for my ego to spend time with a cute guy.

  As it turned out, he’d moved here only a few years ago, so in keeping with my story, I let him tell me a bit about Londonderry and show me some of the local sights; some tips he’d learned along the way. I let him take me to Flanagan’s where we ate, drank and chatted for a couple of hours. It was when he wanted to walk me home and I declined that things faltered a little.

  “I’ve had a really great time, Denver and thank you for dinner – honestly, I wasn’t expecting you to buy mine!”

  “Nonsense!” His hungry eyes roamed over me, “Bella, you’re a very beautiful woman – you should never have to pay for dinners and you should never be eating alone. I’m parked close by so I can drive us back to your place.” He moved closer to me, draping his jacket over my shoulders; his hands lingering over my shoulders just a little too long.

  Immediately my stomach did a little flip-flop. “Ah, um, Denver, I really am exhausted. This first week has been very busy. Thanks for the offer but I’m really not far from here. I can walk it if I take the shortcut between Sackville Avenue and Abberfield.”

  There was an edge to his voice, “I see.” After a pause and I had stopped on the footpath, he spoke in his usual tone. “I just don’t like to think of you heading back to your apartment to spend the weekend alone. How about I take you sightseeing tomorrow – get the extended version, maybe a little lunch?”

  Feeling colder with his jacket around me than without it, I handed his it back to him. “Look, Denver, I’m sorry if you thought this was something more than what it is. I’m sure you’re a really great guy, but I’m not looking for anything right now… I hope you understand.”

  He smiled lightly and draped the blazer over his arm, “Hey, of course not. I am married, you know! God, I’m not trying to come on to you, just being friendly, Bella.” There was a professional tone in his voice now; I’d managed to hurt his ego. Why did men always think that we would fall at their feet just because they bought us food? Even if he was single, I was so not into being someone’s mistress. “It’s not like anything could happen anyway. I mean, with Mildred being on holiday soon, I’m going to be line managing you. It would be entirely inappropriate, Bella.”

  “Oh, I didn’t realise…” Shit.

  “I’m sure you didn’t. I’ll see you on Monday, Bella, have a nice weekend.” With that, a black BMW in front of us beeped and he stepped in alone; leaving me standing on the street, dumbfounded. What just happened?

  By the time I had walked home I had decided that I would speak with Denver on Monday morning. having replayed the brief conversation through my head I decided I didn’t like that he’d implied I didn’t know he was going to be my manager for a while. In fact, I was furious what was between the lines of what he said – did he think I was going to dinner with him because he’d be my manager? What exactly did he think I would do?

  It took until Saturday afternoon before I was actually able to relax for the weekend.

  Chapter 2

  Bella

  As it turned out, Denver was at a meeting across town on Monday morning so I couldn’t get to speak to him before work. The client and deadline that Mildred was working on last week had been met and from today she had me doing the more typical administration work that she needed. Before lunch, she asked me to gather some files from some other accountants and offices within the building, and then put together a mountain of invoices that I was to see left into the post room. By the time I gathered about thirty of them, I took my first trip to the post room.

  I had walked in and within two seconds, I realised I shouldn’t have been there. Even the air felt wrong. Louise was in there with a guy. And he certainly didn’t look like he worked in Sawyer’s. Ice blue eyes met mine the instant I walked in, his gaze penetrating me and making me feel like I wanted to run out of the room, the building, and the town just to be sure. Louise immediately took two steps back from him, creating space between them where there hadn’t been before. There was such a stark contrast between her blouse and pencil skirt outfit to his tracksuit and trainers.

  “Oh, uh, hi Bella.” Louise stammered.

  “Hey. I’m just leaving these invoices down to be posted out?” The urge I had to want to explain myself was crazy. They definitely shouldn’t have been there.

  “Jason’s on his lunch break, I’m sure he’ll look after them when he gets back.” I knew she shouldn’t have been here. “I can take them for you. Here,” she rushed over to me taking the big bundle out of my hands and placing them into the post out-tray. “They’ll get stamped and posted from here.”

  His gaze slide over me the whole time, I knew: because not only did I feel it, but when I plucked the courage to peek at him again, his eyes were still on me and stayed there even when he was caught.

  �
�You must be new.” It wasn’t a question; it was a statement of fact. His voice commanded authority without booming. It was obvious when he spoke that he was used to everyone listening.

  “Yes, that’s right. I’m Bella. I’m the new administrator.” I said, as confidently as I could muster. I even did a little internal hi-five, proud of myself for keeping the eye contact going.

  He slowly strode towards me, holding his hand out. “Bella.” It was the name I was getting used to everyone calling me, but the way he said it made me feel that he knew it wasn’t right. “Well Bella, I’m Jake.” Instinctively I offered my hand to shake. He took it into both of his making me feel like I was so tiny in comparison to him; enveloping mine and wrapping it in heat. I guess Louise has a little secret of her own here. This guy had just been caught in the post room with his girlfriend – who was keeping him firmly under wraps – yet I was the one who felt like I had done something wrong. You have done something wrong my inner critic reminded me.

  “It’s been great to meet you. I hope they’re looking after you here.” As he released my hand I felt like I was being released from a trance. “Louise? I’ll speak to you soon?”

  “Um? Oh, yeah, yeah, sure. Speak soon, Jake.” Louise looked more flustered than I did. With that, he left by the exit door that led to the car park and not the one I had just come in from.

  “Wow,” I said as the door shut behind him. “You’re a dark horse – sneaking your boyfriend in here!” I laughed, giddy that the tension had dissipated. “Thought you said you weren’t dating?” I teased.

  “I’m not.” She said firmly. “He’s just a client who doesn’t really do the whole office thing.”

  “Oh yeah?” I didn’t buy that for a minute. “You two looked pretty guilty when I came in. Don’t worry, I won’t say to anyone, though.”

  “Thanks. He doesn’t like the whole office thing.” Her shoulders relaxed a little. “But he really is a client – nothing else.”

  “Alright then.” I handed her the brown envelope she’d dropped with a cheesy smile. “I just I didn’t realise guys built like brick outhouses needed accountancy services.”

  “Of course!” she laughed like she finally understood something, “You wouldn’t have heard of the Armstrong family. They’re a pretty big deal around here. Jake runs Armstrong’s Gym, he’s the owner.”

  And with that, I knew it was only a matter of time before the truth would come out.

  Chapter 3

  Jake

  The drive from Sawyer & Co to Chester House took too long. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing something. “Think, dammit,” I said aloud and I hit the steering wheel. I recognised that Bella from somewhere, or did I? I didn’t like when I felt like this. What I couldn’t usually control, I beat the shit out of until I could control. Was there was something familiar about her… some resemblance… an echo of something I couldn’t place, or was I imaging it?

  As I walked into dad’s office and I always smiled to myself. You could easily imagine it as a bank manager’s office or something… if you didn’t look closely at the pictures. He had family pictures on the walls beside photos of meetings with other mafia bosses. The only thing missing was the little brass nameplate, Carrick Armstrong, Mafia Boss.

  I sat down on one of the chesterfields, the leather squeaking beneath my tracksuit bottoms. “I handed the file to Louise today, she says the payments will be processed and into all the accounts in a couple of days.”

  “Good son, never forget the families of those who have died for the Kindred Sons.” The same spiel every month.

  “Yeah, I know. Blood and Loyalty.” Yadda yadda yadda. As if I hadn’t been reared by our motto.

  “Don’t take the piss, Jake. I’m serious.” He peered up over his glasses, his accent thick with disdain. “I’m getting older and I want to know ye can handle everything and be content you’re not going to fuck the whole thing up because ye’re gonna forget about the people who split blood to put ye here.” Moments like this were when I caught a glimpse of the man who my father had been; the man who pulled the Kindred Sons together when the threat had been very real and very deadly. The man my father was when I was growing up – the man I rarely seen.

  “Ok, ok.” I rolled my eyes as I stood up. “Just keeping you in the loop, da.” I felt his eyes piercing my back as I walked out the door. Outside of what fatherliness he showed in front of the Kindred Sons, to say we had a relationship might have been an exaggeration.

  Chapter 4

  Bella

  A few days later and I still hadn’t been able to get speaking with Denver. I had decided that I didn’t care how he took what I had to say to him – if he wanted to get me into trouble, then so be it. I’d spoke with Louise earlier and agreed we’d take our lunch break together. Even though she practically begged me not to mention the post room incident, she was still insisting that her relationship with Jake was entirely professional. The girl had been good to me, so I didn’t have a problem not mentioning it. I had my own secrets too; besides had no one really to tell it to anyway. Mildred was usually either in a meeting or on the phone and I didn’t really associate with many of the other workers here. It was beginning to feel like I needed to look for work elsewhere.

  At 12:30 I grabbed my lunch and went to the staff kitchen on the third floor. It was strange for the kitchen to be empty at this time but I heated my pasta leftovers in the microwave and filled the kettle to make some tea. That was when I heard the kitchen door click shut behind me.

  “I heard you’ve been looking for me, Bella.” Denver’s voice was suddenly behind me. “I hope you’ve been thinking about me, I’ve definitely been thinking about you.” He was right behind me, jamming me between the sink and himself. He grabbed my hips and rolled his body against me. I could feel him behind me and a familiar, sickening fear crawled up my stomach.

  I grabbed his hands to try to take them off me. Tears welled in my eyes. “I’ve told you I’m not interested and this is sexual harassment, you prick.” Stronger than I was, his hands didn’t move, they just dug into me harder. Somewhere within I remembered I was wearing my heels. With a quick stomp, my left heel pounded into his shoe leaving him cursing and almost head butting me from behind and he buckled with the unexpected pain. Those two seconds were enough for me to get away from him, open the kitchen door and get into the hall… and straight into a huge suited man chest.

  I tried pushing him away from me, ending up pushing myself backwards from him.

  “Jeaysus.” Oh no. “Are ya alright there, missy? Oh, it’s you.”

  “Hi, um, Jake.”

  When he realized I was upset his whole demeanour went from laid back to high alert. I saw his eyes move from mine to behind me, where I heard Denver had come out, muttering to himself about “Stupid fucking bitch.”

  Louise appeared from nowhere and dragged me away from being between the two men. My head was reeling and flashbacks from my past threatened to turn me into a shaking mess.

  “So I see you’re still preying on the defenceless then.” Jake took a step closer to Denver who was looking between Jake, Louise and me.

  It felt like the air around Jake changed in preparation for a fight: the set of his strong, chiselled jaw; the way his already huge, muscled chest expanded further, making him look twice the size of his opponent; the frosty look of pure hatred he was shooting at Denver; the way he rolled his neck and shoulders, limbering up for what was to come. He was lethal, I saw that now. As Jake’s body shifted to take the first step towards Denver, Louise, with her petite frame, pushed herself right in between them.

  “Gents, this is an office. This is not the place to have a brawl.” Her determined expression set, eyeballing both of the guys. The girl had balls, I’d give her that… but either of them could have swatted her away in an instant. She was either the bravest or the dumbest person I’d ever seen.

  The interjection was enough to distract both guys for a moment, easing some of the mass
ive pressure that had built up in such a short time. Jake seemed to get a better grasp of his surroundings, but when I saw how white his knuckles were on his clenched fists, I wasn’t sure it was over. They have history, my mind suddenly realized.

  Denver took no chances in case things becoming physical and took the opportunity to disappear as quickly as possible. “Mr. Armstrong, it’s always great to see you.” His voice dripping with sarcasm, “I’m sure I have no idea what you’re on about. Maybe you should lay off the ‘roids for a while, huh? Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m meeting my wife for lunch.”

  I think it was pure shock from the whole event, but somehow but I didn’t react as Denver winked at me as he sauntered past - probably because Louise’s arm was now firmly holding me. Thank god Jake hadn’t seen him; otherwise, I think his fuse really would have blown.

  “Louise, ye need to keep a better eye out for both of yous.”

  “Of course.” She took a deep breath; “I didn’t realize he was up here.” she looked ashamed. Had I missed something here? I’d missed part of this conversation.